Client Case Study: Obsequio Software
Phil Schofield, Managing Director, Obsequio Software - shares his experience of working with Charlotte Gerrish, Founding Lawyer of Gerrish Legal and data protection and commercial law specialist.
Phil+Obsequio
Phil Schofield, Managing Director, Obsequio Software
shares his experience of working with Charlotte Gerrish, Founding Lawyer of Gerrish Legal and data protection and commercial law specialist.
U.K based RegTech startup, Obsequio Software, provides consent-tracking solutions to companies wishing to keep track of their GDPR compliance.
Obsequio’s Concept:
Back in 2016, in light of the then-incoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Obsequio Software identified the issues that companies processing personal data face when it comes to evidencing compliance, particularly in terms of evidencing consent in accordance with the new strict requirements.
Obsequio’s Solution:
Obsequio decided to develop a Consent as a Service solution which enables data processors to collect, track, record, save and delete customer consent, when required under the GDPR though SaaS technology. Obsequio’s aim was to simplify and automate the consent process, meaning that companies can evidence compliance and spend time doing what they do best – running their business – rather than losing precious hours manually tracking customer opt-ins.
Case Study:
Phil and Charlotte first got in touch over LinkedIn thanks to their common background in the recruitment and staffing industry (where seeking candidate consent and evidencing it has long been a headache, even pre-GDPR).
It quickly became apparent that Gerrish Legal and Obsequio were a perfect fit – both hailing from a start-up background, Gerrish Legal was able to respond to Obsequio’s needs by providing legal advice in a practical and flexible manner.
Initially, Charlotte drafted Obsequio’s T&Cs and SaaS Agreement, meaning that Obsequio could start selling their product to their clients and earn a return on their investment, safe in the knowledge that their rights and interests, and those of their clients, were protected. Charlotte was also able to provided further added value to Obsequio on other legal issues, for example, by advising on Obsequio’s defensible intellectual property as part of its investor-strategy and by collaborating on GDPR articles related to Obsequio’s business – for example, by analysing different legal bases for processing in the staffing sector based on ICO guidance on consent v. legitimate interests, and by providing a general overview of the GDPR and associated requirements in order to raise data protection awareness for Obsequio’s clients and prospects.
What does Obsequio think about Gerrish Legal?
Choosing which law firm to partner with can make the difference between customer success and customer friction. From our first meeting with Charlotte, it was clear she understood how important having low-friction contracts is to us and that the customer experience is everything. Months on from that first meeting, nothing has changed for us.
Additionally, we need partners that flow with our business, which Charlotte does flawlessly. At no time has our relationship felt like work. There is effort from both sides to get the outcome we need, however, Charlotte’s approach makes it easy for us so we can focus on our customers.
What does Gerrish Legal think about Obsequio?
I find it really refreshing to work with Phil and the other members of the Obsequio team! In addition to their fun and efficient way of working, the way that Obsequio has managed to combine legal regulation and technology is really impressive. As a lawyer with a strong interest in innovation and LegalTech, it was a pleasure to get to know Obsequio’s business model which is at the forefront of how all businesses will be running their compliance programs in the future. Even more exciting is the opportunity to accompany Obsequio as its offerings develop – the updates it will soon be adding to its product list are great, and it is fantastic to help Obsequio put their solutions on the market, especially as I am convinced that these solutions will also bring a lot of efficiency to my clients in the area of GDPR compliance – which is notoriously complex to navigate without the proper tools.
Obsequio closing comments:
Charlotte has the undefinable rare qualities that make working together easy. That’s important. What has been equally important is the revisions to our contracts with customers. There have been none. The work she does expertly balances protecting our business with protecting our business.
A chance meeting over LinkedIn has grown into a key partnership for our business.
If you’re reading this, it could be your chance meeting with Charlotte too.
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